Ukraine has filed a lawsuit against Russia at the UN international court of justice at The Hague after days of fighting in the country.
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, took to Twitter earlier today to confirm an application has been sent off as well as calling for Russia to be ‘held to account’ for ‘manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression’.
A recently released video address from Zelensky warned how Putin’s and Russia’s actions were ‘signs of genocide’ as they began to ‘attacking everything’, including civilians.
The Ukrainian president, who is fast becoming a global hero, tweeted: ‘Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ.
‘Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression.
‘We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week.’
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Ukraine has filed a lawsuit against Russia
Soldiers have bee patrolling the streets of Kyiv, Ukraine, above, enforcing curfews on the city
Smoke rises from a Russian tank which was destroyed by Ukrainian forces in Lugansk
As of this morning it is thought more than 200 people – including young children – have died as a result of the conflict, with over 1,100 wounded since the invasion began on Thursday.
In one of his regular video addresses President Zelensky said: ‘The past night in Ukraine was brutal, again shooting, again bombardments of residential areas, civilian infrastructure.
‘They are going to bomb our Ukrainian cities even more, they are going to kill our children even more subtly. This is the evil that has come to our land and must be destroyed.’
Zelensky called on foreigners to join the country’s battle against the ‘Russian war criminals’.
Ukrainian servicemen patrol, pictured, patrol the city of Dnipro, Ukraine
A building in Kyiv, above, was damaged on Saturday after Russia invaded Ukraine last week
A Ukrainian serviceman gives a thumb up riding atop a military vehicle in Lugansk region
‘Ukrainians have manifested the courage to defend their homeland and save Europe and its values from a Russian onslaught,’ he said.
‘This is not just Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This is the beginning of a war against Europe, against European structures, against democracy, against basic human rights, against a global order of law, rules and peaceful coexistence.’
Delegates from Russia and Kyiv will meet on the Belarus border for peace talks after hundreds of soldiers entered Ukraine’s second city of Kharkiv.
Chechen special forces general Magomed Tushaev, above, was killed outside Kyiv
Thousands of Russians, above, have turned out to protest against Vladimir Putin and his war
The Ukrainian President’s office said the two delegations will meet ‘without preconditions’ near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl, in a deal brokered in a phone call with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
‘Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation’s travel, talks and return,’ the statement said.
It came as Putin declared in a televised addressed that he had ordered troops operating the nuclear deterrent onto a ‘special regime of duty’ in light of ‘aggressive statements’ from NATO leaders and ‘unfriendly economic actions’.
It comes after Ukrainian forces obliterated a Chechen special forces column made up of 56 tanks outside Kyiv yesterday, killing general Magomed Tushaev – one of the regime’s most highly-decorated soldiers.
